TBI Study Says Juveniles Victims of Violence

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — A newly released Tennessee Bureau of Investigation study on domestic violence shows that juveniles accounted for approximately 10 percent of all victims.

The report found that boyfriend-girlfriend relationships were the most frequently reported incidents, accounting for more than 43 percent of all domestic violence in the three-year period studied.

Myra Beasley is the Special Court Advocate for the Domestic Violence Program of Rutherford County. She says there are very definite warning signs that a dating relationship is headed for trouble.

“They want to keep control in the relationship. They want to know who you’re talking to, who you’re going out with, who you’re visiting with, who you’re on Facebook with.”

The TBI report found that females were almost three times more likely to be the victims than males. Simple assault was the most frequently reported offense, accounting for nearly 69 percent of all offenses.